The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded $340 million to the State of New York and $229 million to the State of New Jersey for improvements to wastewater and drinking water treatment facilities affected by Hurricane Sandy. The funds will be used on projects that reduce the risks of flood damage and that increase the resiliency of wastewater and drinking water facilities to withstand the effects of severe storms.

“This EPA funding will help make ... wastewater and drinking water plants more resilient,” says EPA Regional Administrator Judith A. Enck. “With climate change, the frequency of severe storms is likely to increase, and wastewater treatment and drinking water plant failures become a serious threat to people’s health and the environment. These funds will help ensure that the basic infrastructure needed to protect people’s health are operating even during severe storms.”

These funds, which were authorized by Congress in the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013, were granted to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), the New York State Department of Health (DOH) and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The DEC, DOH and DEP will provide the funds to local communities as low or no interest loans that will be paid back to New York and New Jersey. Up to 30 percent of the money being provided can be awarded as grants to communities rather than as loans.

In New York, the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC) and DOH have selected projects by using project priority ranking systems that are based on requirements in the Clean Water Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act and state regulations. In New Jersey, the DEP selected and ranked projects.

The highest rankings were given to projects that have the greatest impact on protecting water quality and protecting drinking water for the most people. The EFC, DOH and DEP selected the proposed projects and submitted Intended Use Plans that included their recommended projects to the EPA for review. The states also accepted public comments on Intended Use Plans.

New York’s Intended Use Plans include such projects as the construction of a new ocean outfall at the Bergen Point Wastewater Treatment Plant in Suffolk County, sewer rehabilitation the City of Newburgh, and measures to fortify and flood proof critical equipment at the Jamaica Bay Sewage Treatment Plant in New York City.

New Jersey’s Intended Use Plans include such projects as outfall repairs in Jersey City, the replacement of the Pequannock, Lincoln Park and Fairfield Sewerage Authority’s generator, and the replacement of damaged pumps in Long Beach Township.

For a list of New York projects that are slated to receive this funding, see: http://www.efc.ny.gov/default.aspx

For a list of New Jersey clean water projects that are slated to receive this funding, see: http://www.state.nj.us/dep/dwq/cwpl.htm

For a list of New Jersey drinking water projects that are slated to receive this funding, see: http://www.nj.gov/dep/watersupply/dws_loans.html

For more information on the Clean Water State Revolving Fund program, visit http://water.epa.gov/grants_funding/cwsrf/cwsrf_index.cfm

For information on the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund program visit http://www.epa.gov/safewater/dwsrf/